RA, Psoriasis Meds May Up Risk of Hep B Flares

RA, Psoriasis Meds May Up Risk of Hep B Flares

SAN FRANCISCO, CA—Biologic agents are associated with “significantly higher” risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) flares than non-biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs) among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriasis, according to a study reported at The Liver Meeting® 2015.

Dr. Wu and colleagues conducted a population-based cohort study to determine whether anti-TNF agents are associated with increased HBV hepatitis flare risk than nbDMARDs, using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for patients with HBV infection who were diagnosed with RA or psoriasis.

A total of 354 patients were identified who had received TNF-α antagonists; these patients represented the study's biologics cohort. They were matched by baseline characteristics and propensity scores 1:2 with 708 patients who received nbDMARDs alone (DMARDs cohort). Each cohort was followed up for HBV flares.